Vauxhall Grandland X
Price £22,750
0-62mph 11.1 seconds
Top speed 117mph
MPG 55.4
CO2 117g/km
The endless recoupling that goes on in the world of motoring can make reality TV shows seem rather tame in comparison. A few years ago, to the surprise of many observers, Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi all joined together in a massive threesome to form a powerful Franco-Japanese alliance; Fiat and Chrysler are now Italian-American swingers with different partners on both sides of the Atlantic and intimate connections in two wildly different car markets: US gas guzzlers vs European city nippers. To make things more complicated, car companies are now also getting into bed with fast-food firms (Toyota and Pizza Hut), ride-hailing companies (BMW and Lyft) and tech groups (Hyundai and Cisco).
Therefore, it should come as no surprise to you to learn that the new Vauxhall Grandland X is, in fact, a Peugeot 3008. A while ago, Groupe PSA, which owns Citroën, Peugeot and DS, bought Vauxhall and immediately set about giving the brand a little more joie de vivre. The last time Vauxhall made an SUV, we were presented with the totally forgettable Antara. That in itself was a replacement for the Frontera which was totally unforgettable (but for all the wrong reasons).
Sharing the underpinnings with the 3008, therefore, is a great first step to redemption. Peugeot’s SUV is already a likable, affordable car, which begs the question: why build another? Students of consumer psychology will have many plausible explanations, but it may just be that some people prefer to buy British. If you are one of these, then you will be delighted. You can enjoy all the pleasure of a mechanically sound continental car wrapped in a more patriotic shell. Aside from the engine start button and some dashboard warning lights I couldn’t spot any shared body work. Beneath the bonnet, however, the engines are the same: you can choose between a 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol unit and a 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel. In either case you can have an eight-speed automatic or manual transmission.
It’s a handsome fellow. It gets the company’s latest face with the stand-out LED daytime running lights which are all the rage at the moment. Who will be the first manufacturer to decide we don’t actually need them? The car has a “floating” roof and C-pillars that curve forwards which create the impression the car is lower and more compact than it really – a bit like shaping up with a pair of auto Spanx.
They often say a job interview is decided by the time you’ve walked across the carpet. In some ways it’s the same with cars. I spent a week with the Grandland X, growing to like it more and more. But it had me by the first bend. It’s a car you settle into and think: “Well this is nice” before you’ve even gone anywhere. I drove the small petrol engined version. For a compact unit it never struggled. There’s no buzz or whine. The gear shift is smooth and precise. It’s safe, comfortable and packed with tech. With winter approaching, the Grandland X is also available with an electronic IntelliGrip control system, which ensures you’ll have grip on any surface. The big question is, how much traction will the Grandland X find in the hyper-competitive SUV market?
Cool kit
Want a new model Porsche for Christmas? Build your own with this 24-piece adent calendar, adding one new section each day in December. Porsche calendar kit, £39.50, design911.co.uk
Email Martin at martin.love@observer.co.uk or follow him on Twitter@MartinLove166
